Rebirth: A different Point of View
by terrathrahn
Summary: A retelling of a scene from iA New Jedi Order: Rebirth/i, in which Anakin Solo and Tahiri Veila are trapped in an equipment locker on the Yag'Dhul space station. Contains strong romantic tension and some kissing, but no explicit sexuality.


It was in the middle of the Yuuzhan Vong war, shortly before the birth of Ben Skywalker in fact, though they hadn't known that at the time.

Tahiri was only fourteen, the scars of her imprisonment by the Yuuzhan Vong shaper Mezhan Kwaad still fresh in her mind.

The cargo mission had—as usual when Anakin was involved—gone utterly awry; and ended up with the two of them alone, stuck in an equipment locker on the space station at Yag'Dhul. The station had been depressurized against a Yuuzhan Vong attack. Their only remaining oxygen was from a small breath mask; their only heat their own body warmth; their only hope for survival Corran Horn, out there in a pressure suit and searching for more, somewhere.

The events of the past weeks, months, _years_, had caught up with Tahiri, as had their predicament, and she'd been talking irritably. When Anakin spoke, Tahiri was rattled to her core by his words.

"I'm scared too, Tahiri."

It sounded like the most ridiculous statement Tahiri had ever heard. "No, you're not. You're never scared. Even when you _are_, you aren't by normal standards."

"I was scared when I thought I'd lost you on Yavin Four."

That really did it; he'd hit the mark, or close enough. Everything he'd went through to rescue her from the Shaper complex …

She made no noise, but she couldn't stop the sobs that shook her shoulders as tears streamed down her cheeks. Suddenly, she felt Anakin's arm around her, and her guilt doubled. "I'm sorry," she managed. "I got you into this. Corran's right—I keep thinking I can be like you, and I'm not. You always win, and I always screw up. If it weren't for me, you'd be back on the _Errant_ _Venture_ right now."

"But I'd rather be here with you," he said.

In the darkness, there was only the vaguest outline to recognize as Anakin, but she stared at it nonetheless. "Don't say things like that. I know you think I'm still a little kid. I-" She stopped abruptly when she felt his cold fingers on her face, idly brushing at the partly-dried tears. She felt them touch on a lock of hair that had fallen out of place and come to rest over one eyebrow. Then his fingers lightly touched the three scars in her forehead that signified her supposed status as a member of Domain Kwaad.

The next thing Tahiri knew, she felt his lips against hers, and a warmth that sprung into them despite the chilly temperature. It was such an unexpected move that she reflexively pulled away from him with a little, "Oh."

"Oh?" Anakin said.

"_That_ was a surprise."

"Sorry," he said. Tahiri could hear the sincere contrition in his voice, and the slightly shaken edge; he sounded almost completely at a loss, which was about the way Tahiri felt.

Still, he had apologized for kissing her; she would have to disabuse him. "No—c'mere," with that she reached out both hands, grateful she had a fairly good idea where to find his face. Cupping it delicately, she leaned forward and kissed him. It was a small, soft kiss, but it still sent a thrill through her entire being.

After a moment, she managed to speak, "Your timing is perfect. Wait until we're doomed to give me my first kiss."

"Mine too. Umm …"

"How was it?" Tahiri said, knowing that was what he meant. "Kind of weird," on an impulse, she kissed him again. "Nice."

_If_ _only_ _it_ _could_ _be_ _this_ _simple_ _all_ _the_ _time_, she thought. She let go of his face so that she could hold his hands gently in hers, then she rested her cheek against his. This was glorious. "If we survive, we'll have to figure this out, you know."

"Yeah."

"I mean, I'm not the kind of girl who'll kiss just anyone on a first-time-to-be-stuck-in-a-locker-on-an-airless-spacestation."

"Might be simpler if we don't make it," he said.

Tahiri was really riding on the emotional surges she'd been feeling. "Yeah. Are you sorry?"

"No. No, not even a little."

"Good."

"So let's survive, so we can get a chance to figure this out, okay?" That same cocky assurance, it never failed to make Tahiri feel better. "Do you think you can manage a hibernation trance? Our air will last a lot longer that way."

Tahiri thought about that for a moment. "I don't know," she said eventually, "I've never done it."

"I'll help. Just clear your mind-"

What a preposterous suggestion. "Maybe you don't know very much about girls. You just _kissed_ me, and now you want me to clear my mind? It's like there's a tribe of Ewoks dancing in there."

He squeezed her hand. "C'mon, Tahiri."

She was formulating a reply when there was a clank from outside the locker. That wasn't right …

"Did you hear that?"

"Yeah. But how?" he said. "There shouldn't be any air to carry the sound."

Tahiri felt him preparing for something, but she couldn't tell what. Something was working on the equipment locker, and in a few seconds it swung open.

There, framed by the doorway, crouching down to open the door and looking very concerned, was Corran Horn.

"You're okay."


End file.
